This trip was a neat little escape in the middle of a 2010 beach holiday based in Calvi. Myself and Sarah retraced some of the route Rebecca and I covered on the GR20 two years ago, to take in the highest point on Corsica. We had an early morning start with white knuckle taxi ride from Calvi to the Auberge de la Foret at Bonifatu, cost 40 euros but simple and quick (very). A long walk up a good path takes you to this bridge...
And another hour or so up the hill takes you to the refuge at Carozzo, cold beers available!
There's then a really long tab on the route of the GR20, Lots of rumbly thunder nearby but didn't come to rain and didn't really bother us. Over the ridge and back down to Haut Asco, which looks a bit tacky (like all (minor)ski resorts out of season) but its deceptive. The auberge is really friendly and they do a seriously big walker's special - five course for about 15 euros, can't beat it. There's a refuge but it was busy, cos on the GR20 so glad we were camping. Next morning fairly early start, this is the view up the glen to Monte Cinto.
And back down. Hot work!
We really should have started even earlier, started getting a bit cloudy, and feared a repeat of yesterday's thunder, thought about chucking it but decided to push on to the ridge and then review. Right decision...
You tend to forget how big european hills can be, its 1284m from Haut Asco to the top, but worth it. Passed quite a few folk coming back down but got the summit to ourselves. Handsome, huh?
Fairly big snow patches, nothing scary. The whole route goes through pretty spectacular rock and waterfall scenery all the way. Monte Cinto is the remains of the volcano which produced the rock which makes up much of what's now the high ground. Mostly porphyritic granite, and although it doesn't particularly show up in these shots, the change from green to pink to purple in 1000ft bands is pretty dramatic.
La Tour Penchee, its a lot bigger than it looks in this shot.
Back to the bar for beers x many, and another five courser, shared table with a Danish couple who were doing the GR. Perfect English of course so conversation easy. Nice folk.
Next morning, tent down, and an hour's walk down the road took us below the first campsite, and sure enough within about ten mins a German couple stopped and gave us a lift. Really nice folk! Corsica really is the biz for lifts. Took us all the way to Ponte Leccia where you join the railway line. Once again perfect English, very fond of Corsica, travelled the world, all except Scotland - "afraid of the weather" apparently...
As ever the train was broken so we had to get an air-conditioned coach halfway, but as ever, it dropped us at the first working station and remainder of journey at half the speed on the hot and rattly train. Quite bonny though as it follows the coast most of the way, and all part of the experience.
Back to Calvi - beach, beers, showers, and England crashing out of world cup! If Carlsberg did holidays...
Brilliant trip. The mountains were great, and so close to the beaches which was perfect for a well deserved rest!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely recommend getting up earlier to start monte cinto, as we did doubt contninuing on as the thunder clouds crept in early afternoon. Fortunately we stuck at it to enjoy an exciting scramble along the deceptively long ridge and a run down the mountain in time for our super dinners! Would never has imagined such good food at a chalet up in the corsican mountains!